Apparatus for indicating the density of liquids and automatically grading the same according to their density



May 8, 1923. 1,454,756

J. L. MENNELL APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE DENSITY OF LIQUIDS AND AUTOMATICALLY GRADING THE SAME ACCORDING TO THEIR DENSITY Filed Nov. 30 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet l May 8, 1923.

APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE DENSITY OF LIQUIDS AND AUTOMATICALLY GRADING THE SAME ACCORDING TO THEIR DENSITY Filed Nov. 30

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Java for May 8, 1923. 1,454,756

J. L. MENNELL APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE DENSITY OF LIQUIDS AND AUTOMATICALLY GRADING THE SAME ACCORDING TO THEIR DENSITY Filed Nov. 30 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 8, 1923. 1,454,756

J. l. MENNELL APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE DENSITY OF LIQUIDS AND AUTOMATICALLY GRADING THE SAME ACCORDING TO THEIR DENSITY Filed NOV. 30 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 8, 1923.

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"JAMES ILESLIEMENNELL, or nonnom nnenann, 'ass'rononzro crrns. ,sur rnnsa co.

*m vn'rnn. or-Loneon,Jane. c-Lann. A

APPARATUS Fou 11x123rcuurmq THE nnnsrrr oranremns JAND JAUTGMATIG'A'LLY ennnme rmnsem -ncoonnme TO THEIR DENSITY.

"Applicationi-fi'ledNovemberi30, 1920.1.. Scria1;-No .427,402. 1 v

To all whom it mayv concern.

Be it'knownithat LxJemes LESLIE,ME N NELL, a subject of the King ofGreatlBmtaln, residing in London, England, have lnvented 1 certain new andv usefulimprovements 1n ap--.

- paratus torindicating the density ofliquids and automaticallygrading the same accord-m is a specification.

The apparatus 1 forming the .subyect matter of this invention is-desi-gned to: give a. continuous'indication .of the density of a liquid as it flows through a tank andzto de-w.

.ments. and Z. by a a m c' which Tea-68' .fromthe top of the-tank nearly to the bottom of the latteI';.--.The liquid tolbe dealt with .i-sgdelivered into compartment .ct,and.pass'es.-

under the partition 0 into compartment 6. Immersed .compar-tmentis asinker alofdefinite volume .ing. to their density, of whichthe fol-lowing "fand'preferably of double cone form, as

,shown 1n,F;1 -g.11,-;wh1ch is suspended bya rod e from one end of a pivoted beam or balance 7 fitted with. the usual knife edge .fulcrums.

Depending fromthe other end of the-beam is a wire or cord .9 a'djustably clamped to a the liquor within the latter liver-such liquid as itfleaves thetankto onerknifeedgef hearing and having atits lower;

of a number oflaunders or other-receptacles, according; to its; grade or density.

In: thisapparabus-the rise andtallof a sinkersubmerged in the liquidin: the tanks,

. caused by change of density of the liquid produces a rotary movement'ot a spindle which carries aapointerhand an electric contact spring or brush. The pointer moves across a scale of densities and thelemish, moves across aseries of ,contacts; -wh'ich control the'operation of an electric motor by means of which a pivoted launder, into which s. the liquor from the: tank shows, is; shifted into.

one-orother-of a number of ideflnite ,po.s1- tions depending upon whichof the ser es of contacts. is; for the-time benign-operative, -ac-. Y cordingto the density of: the liquor insthe tank. The. sinker is suspended. ina the tank g from one :end of a balancedrpivoted beam,

from the other end of which depends cord or its equivalent whichxisglapped around a-- suitably shaped and 1 weighted nor cam fast 'on theaz'rle ofi'thepointer. and electric switch.

The apparatus will be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is an end elevation, partly in section, showing the hydrometer part of the apparatus more particularly; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus Fig. 3 a plan view, from which the launder end ribbon of g in tension disc is connected through .a multiplying gear pointer is which traverses a graduated scale indicated at k Zfrom :thexfram'e of theapparatus.

steel or equivalent .fiexible inextensible material lapped around theedge of;a horizontally-pivoted cam disc h. .Fixed .to the disc is a-radialarmz' upon which is adjustably mounted a bob 2" which servesto counter-balance the sinker and-keep the wire The spindle it. of; the cam train. j with a By-s'uitably.cuttingthe:cam it (as shownin {[fig. 6) an flq 'ualwdivision scale :over a considerablerange of density canbe obtained.

Toprevent further movementof the beam the liquid in the .tankis,0tgreateiwor less .densityrespectively than the highest and lowest value for which the. apparatus is, .designed-1a pair- 0f steps a, 6 V is provided on the rodicarrymg the sinker,

and to each otherand being adapted toengage a fixed stop or abutmente 'projecting The tank may be fitted with a steam coil Z or equivalent heating device to prevent (Fig. I 2

these stops beingp eferablyadjustable relative to th i k crystallization of the liquid due to fall of temperature and to maintain a constant or substantially constant temperature when the apparatus is in use.

Below the outflow b of the tank is a launder We carried by the pivoted frame of a segmental. rackn. A pinion n gearing with this rack is driven by means of an electric motor 0 which is controlled by electric circuits established by the momentary contact of a contact spring or brush is" carried by the pointer k with one or other of a series of contacts p swept over by the brush is as the pointer is contacts 30 preferably consist of metall ic traverses the density scale. The V I it beyond "ed up and through the connecting gear rollers carried by brackets 70' adjustably clamped to a ring 9 of insulatingimaterial concentric with the pointer spindle so that the contacts are angularly adjustable with respect to each other. By suitable adjustcording to its density, comprising a hyment of the contacts, the grades or'densities into which the liquor is classified'may be varied.

The automatic operation of the electric motor and the arrangmentof circuits and apparatus by means of which it is effected is no part of the presentfinvention, being substantially identical with the arrangement of circuits and apparatus used in the well known electric elevator or lift, and noclaim is herein made to such apparatus per se, nor has it been considered necessary to describe stating that the electric control of the motor is such that touches a given contact p-the motor is startswings the pivoted launder m into one of a number of definite positions according to the particular contact stud p'which engaged the brush 70. These definite positions correspond with the grades or densities into which the liquor has to be classified, and in each definite position of the pivoted launder the liquor is delivered by it to a definite receptacle or launder according to grade. The switch arrangements of the'control circuits of the elctric motor are such that the motor stops automatically when the launder reaches the position corresponding with the" particularcontact p. the momentary con-nection of which with the brush is initiatedthe movement of the motor and launder, and the motor does not re-start to move the launder to another position until the brush is makes contact with another of the contacts 79. Such movements involve the use oflimit and reversing switches actuated by a tappet carried by the movlng body which in the case of the automatic electric lift the cage or hit carriage and in the apparatus under consideration is the pivoted launder or'segmental rack.

Having thus described thenature of the;

when the brush is" droineter balance, an electric switch actuated a-thereby tetra-verse a series ofelectric contacts, an electric motor controlled by said switch and operating to swing a pivoted launder into definite positions, substantially as described.

2. In conjunction with the apparatus of -claim 1', an indicator which shows the den- 'sity of the liquor-in the hydrometer balance tank.

' 3. An apparatus accordingxto claim 1;

wherein theelectric contacts are arranged to be relatively adjustable so as to vary the grades or densities of classification, substantially as described. P l

An apparatus for classifying liquid according to its density, comprising a hydrometer balance, an electric switch actuated thereby, an electric motor controlled by said I switch and-means actuated by the said motor *and'operating to deliver the liquid into (litferent receptacles according toits density.

5; An apparatus for classifying liquid according to its density, comprisinga-hydrometer balance, a 'pivoted launder and electric means controlled by the said balance andop' erating to swingthe saidlaunder into different positions accordingto the density of'the liquid; I -6. An apparatus for classifying liquid according to, its density comprisinga liquid containing tank, a 'hydrometer balance having its sinker mounted for submergence in the liquid in the tank, means for discharging liquid from the tank into any one ;-of a plurality of receptacles, and electric means controlled by said balance and operating to connect the said dischargingmeans with'the several receptacles accordingto the of the liquid. v

In testimony whereof'I have'signed my name to this specification.

Y JAMES LESLIE MENNELL.

density p 

